tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783Sun, 14 Dec 2014 21:06:02 +0000Pastor's PerspectiveLord's Day preparationUnderstanding the Timesmissionary spotlightMarket Day of the SoulMen of the CovenantMissionary Spotlight; South AfricaChristmasFrom Dishes to DiscipleshipMissionary Spotlight; PeruWomen's Ministrymissionary spotlight; RomaniaDerek ThomasMissionary Spotlight; GreeceThanksgivingWindow on the Worldmissionary spotlight; Ukraineprayer helps2008Aims and GoalsAl Mohler; evangelicalismBarbara Porter; parentingBethlehemBibleBible Reading PlansBlog of the Week; Al Mohler; albertmohler.comBlog of the Week; Justin Taylor; Between Two WorldsCalvinianaCalviniana; Marilynne RobinsonChristmas CarolDavid Robertson; mission; reportDiscipleship; Men of the CovenantDiscipleship; Mid-South Men's RallyDonna Dobbs; Ashley Hall; Christian Education; Women's MinistryESV Study Bible mobile platformsExpository PreachingFirst EpistleGospel connectionsHymnsHymns of the Faith; Praise to the LordHymns of the Faith; Watts;InstitutesJ.C. RyleJohnLocal Church; mutual Christian loveLord's DayMTW; mission; email scamsMissionary Spotlight; East AsiaMissionary Spotlight; ScotlandMissionary Spotlight; SwedenMissionary Spotlight; USAMissionary Spotlight; UgandaMore than KnowingMusic of ChristmasNehemiah 8:9-12Nehemiah; Window on the WordNewsweekOn Donna's Heart; Christian Education in the ChurchOrdination ServicePastor's Perspective; Understanding the Times; Hymns of the Faith; Windows on the World; First EpistlePerspectives on GivingPraying for Barack ObamaPreparation for Public WorshipPresbyterian BookstoreSame-Sex marriageSanctuaryScotland; HTCScout SundaySouth AfricaSunday Order of Worship; December 14Sunday Order of Worship; December 7Sunday Order of Worship; November 23Sunday Order of Worship; November 30Thanksgiving SermonsThe Living Faith of the DeadThinking with JesusTom ElkinUgandaUnderstanding the Times; GuidanceYouth culture; Al Mohlerawardsbad questionsblog schedule; resourcesbookschurch; culture; worldlinessdivorceforgivenessgood teachersincarnationmetrical versionmissionary spotlight; Myanmaronlineprayer helps; Lord's Dayprayer helps; Veterans' Dayprayer requests; TLFteensthe AlmightytrinityThe First Presbyterian Church of Jackson MississippiHistoric First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi, USA (founded 1837) is the largest Presbyterian congregation in the State and one of the largest in the United States. A flagship congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), First Church played a significant role in establishing the PCA (the largest conservative Presbyterian denomination in the English-speaking world), Reformed Theological Seminary, and Reformed University Ministries (a nationwide campus fellowship).http://fpcj.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)Blogger951125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-2060085893031172973Tue, 01 Jan 2013 06:31:00 +00002013-01-01T00:35:34.826-06:00A Prayer for the New Year, from The Valley of VisionA Prayer for the New Year <br /><br />O LORD, length of days does not profit me <br />except the days are passed in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory. <br /><br />Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour, <br /><br />that I may not be one moment apart from thee, <br /><br />but may rely on thy Spirit to supply every thought, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; speak in every word, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; direct every step, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; prosper every work, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; build up every mote of faith,<br /> <br />and give me a desire <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; to show forth thy praise; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; testify thy love, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; advance thy kingdom. <br /><br />I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; with thee, O Father, as my harbour, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thee, O Son, at my helm, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails. <br /><br />Guide me to heaven <br />with my loins girt, <br />my lamp burning, <br />my ear open to thy calls, <br />my heart full of love, <br />my soul free. <br /><br />Give me thy grace to sanctify me, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thy comforts to cheer, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thy wisdom to teach, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thy right hand to guide, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thy counsel to instruct, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thy law to judge, <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; thy presence to stabilize. <br /><br /> May thy fear be my awe, thy triumphs my joy.<br /><br /> ~ <br /><br />The Valley of Vision, 206-207 (Banner of Truth Trust) <span class="fullpost"> </span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-prayer-for-new-year-from-valley-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-6259014080437636248Sat, 01 Dec 2012 20:48:00 +00002012-12-01T15:03:09.108-06:00Total Depravity and the Believer’s Sanctification<div style="text-align: justify;">Tullian Tchividjian of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Ft Lauderdale, FL and Rick Phillips of Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC have recently engaged with the doctrine of total depravity in its relation to Christians. That is, they are discussing not whether or not people in their natural state are totally depraved, but whether and in what sense believers may be spoken of as "totally depraved." <span class="fullpost">This is a very important issue, so I am glad to have it put on the front burner.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">Years ago, Tabletalk magazine asked me to write an article on this subject. I was interacting primarily with forms of Christian perfectionist teaching on the one hand and carnal Christian teaching on the other. But I think the article still speaks to issues that the Reformed and evangelical community is debating today. So, here it is. </span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span><span class="fullpost">Total depravity is a reality, both taught in Holy Scripture and experienced in life, with important implications not only for pagans but also for Christians. Very often we think of this Biblical doctrine in connection with those who are unregenerate, or with regard to Christians before their conversion, but we reflect less frequently on the depravity which still infects those who have been saved by grace and reborn of the Spirit. This is a serious omission, for misunderstanding or underestimating the continuing corruption in the believer leaves the Christian unprepared for the warfare of sanctification and leads to a variety of spiritual problems. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">There are many errors propagated in evangelical circles on this subject, the two main tendencies of which are: perfectionism and antinomianism. The former asserts that the Christian life is (or ought to be) characterized by complete victory over sin. Hence, Christian life as intended by God is “higher life” or the “victorious life.” Perfectionistic teachers not only distort the biblical teaching on holiness, but also dangerously underestimate the believer’s struggle with indwelling sin (setting up the tender-hearted Christian for a real struggle with depression and assurance). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">On the other end of the spectrum, purveyors of antinomian dogma insist that true Christians may be no different in terms of vital godliness than pagans. They teach that the believer may be judicially free from sin, while “carnal” in the overall tendency of life. Oftentimes without realizing it, they teach that sin may still have dominion in the believer’s life (setting up many for tragic self-deception and encouraging spiritual lethargy in others). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">In sum, the perfectionist tends to deny continuing depravity in the believer, while the antinomian implicitly denies the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification to be an essential component of our salvation. Of total depravity in the believer’s life, the perfectionist says (of the ‘victorious Christian’) “it no longer exists,” while the antinomian says (of the ‘carnal Christian’) “it doesn’t matter.” Over against both these mistakes, the Bible teaches that when a person becomes a Christian the dominion of sin is broken, but the presence of sin is never abolished in this life (see Sinclair Ferguson, John Owen on the Christian Life [Banner of Truth, 1987], 125ff). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">In sorting out this doctrine and its implications, there are several great principles to be kept in mind. Let me mention four of them here. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"><strong>Believers are still sinners</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">Depravity is still part of the believer’s reality. We not only fall victim to the depravity of others in this life, we continue to see the fruits of depravity in our own character and conduct. As the Westminster Confession puts it: “The corruption of nature remains in the regenerate during this life, and although it has been pardoned and mortified through Christ, yet both itself and all its tendencies are truly and properly sin” (WCF 6.5). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">This is why Martin Luther could speak of believers as simul justus et peccator (“at the same time righteous and sinner”). He did not mean that Christians are no different after conversion than before, but he did mean to acknowledge that sin continues to be a constant reality in the believer’s experience (Romans 7:14-25). Even in the Christian, the residue of depravity is scattered throughout the whole man --mind, will, and affections-- and is in that sense still “total.” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">So when certain religious teachers speak of “the higher life,” “perfection,” “entire sanctification,” “living without sin,” or “perfect love,” as the ideal for Christians in this life, they betray their contradiction of Scripture. This truth brings with it a two-edged sword of conviction and comfort. This truth moves us to grieve the way we continue to displease our loving Lord, but it also allows us to be realistic about our spiritual growth. When we see remaining sin in us, we are reminded that God has not yet completed his final domination of sin. Its bondage is broken, but its influence is still keenly felt. The lives of Abraham, Moses, David, Peter and Paul all testify to the continuing influence of sin even in the lives of mature believers. It was not a backsliding believer, but the Apostle Paul who said: “the good that I wish, I do not do; but practice the very evil that I do not wish” (Romans 7:19). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"><strong>Believers must, by the Spirit, strive against sin</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">This truth of the continuing influence of sin in believer means that there will be God-instigated internal spiritual warfare in the lives of all true Christians. The new principle of life and holiness implanted in us strives against the remains of depravity. This warfare is not only not the exception to the rule, it is the rule! Though sin’s dominion is ended by regeneration, its presence is not. In consequence, the Spirit wars against the remaining corruption that “grace might reign through righteousness” (Romans 5:21). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">As J.C. Ryle reminds us “a holy violence, a conflict, a warfare, a fight, a soldier’s life, a wrestling, are spoken of [in Paul’s Epistles] as characteristic of the true Christian” (Holiness, xxvi). Christians are not to be passive in this warfare (a favorite “higher life” teaching), nor are we to become complacent about remaining corruption (a dangerous result of antinomian teaching). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">Often, perfectionistic teachers assure us that victory over sin will be ours if we will only “let go and let God” or “be still and yield ourselves to God.” All we need do, they say, is believe and the conquest of depravity will be assured. These instructions are not only unintelligible, but also impractical. They don’t work! Though it is true that faith is instrumental in sanctification as well as justification, sanctification is not an instantaneous work and the Bible calls us to “watch, pray, and fight,” as well as “believe,” in the struggle for sanctification. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">The vocabulary of the New Testament requires an active response, not merely a passive yielding, on the part of the believer in the fight against sin. Our efforts are empowered by the Spirit and done in a framework of grace, to be sure, but we ourselves are nevertheless called by God to fight. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"><strong>Believers are no longer under the dominion of sin</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">Though sin still remains in true Christians, and we see in ourselves the evidence of a great struggle between flesh and Spirit, yet in Christ we have been “freed from sin” (Romans 6:7). This is not merely a freedom from judicial consequences, but a freedom unto holiness. Thus sanctification always accompanies justification: “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he frees him from his natural bondage under sin” (WCF 9.4). Where there is grace, there is righteousness. Where there is no righteousness, there is no real grace, because “grace reigns in righteousness” (Romans 5:21). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">As a result of our liberation from sin’s dominion our affections are no longer enslaved to worldly desire. Our wills are enabled to prefer spiritual good. We are motivated to live in accord with the law of God and not the law of self. Those who would saddle us with the “carnal Christian” doctrine underestimate God’s works of regeneration and sanctification and thereby tempt some to apathy with regard to indwelling sin. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">But as the Westminster divines reminded us long ago “the corruption of nature (which remains in the regenerate during this life) and all its tendencies are truly and properly sin” (WCF 6.5) and as such it is to be hated and mortified by the Christian. This means we will work and pray against the remaining sin in our experience, and never glibly excuse it by saying “well, I am already forgiven.” The doctrines of justification and adoption were never intended to produce presumptuous attitudes toward sin, nor to lead us to discount the doctrine of sanctification. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"><strong>Christian life is characterized by growth and holiness, but not perfection</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">Finally, the Christian’s walk will neither be marked by complacency towards sin, nor spiritual perfection. “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he . . . enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet, because of the sinner’s remaining corruption, he does not perfectly or only desire that which is good, but does also desire that which is evil” (WCF 9.4). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">When perfectionistic teachers assure us that we can come to a point when we no longer consciously sin and that the spiritual believer is one who is beyond the struggle against sin, they stumble at three points. (1) They underestimate sin (which is more than willful acts, but extends to thoughts and disposition). (2) They underestimate perfection (which involves more than a superficial outward conformity to the law, but requires whole-hearted obedience in behavior, pure motivation, dependence on God, and desire for his glory). (3) They evidence a longing for cessation of spiritual hostilities this side of glory (which the Bible does not promise!). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">No, the true Christian will walk through this world in a fight against sin, not just in others but in himself. Sadly, depravity remains a reality for believers - all too real in our thoughts, words, and actions sometimes. But God has broken the dominion of sin by uniting us to Christ, given us the Spirit to empower our obedience, given us his word for an unchanging standard of righteousness, and filled our hearts with a desire for his glory and eternal fellowship with him as our goal. Sin will not have the last word.</span><br /><br />Ligon Duncan&nbsp; @LigonDuncan&nbsp; <a href="http://www.fpcjackson.org/">www.fpcjackson.org</a>&nbsp; <a href="http://www.rts.edu/jackson">www.rts.edu/jackson</a><br />Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi, USA<br />John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary<br /><br />&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost"></span></div>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/12/total-depravity-and-believers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-3145914382032887782Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:33:00 +00002012-11-15T09:41:54.134-06:00Take a look and make a note of the upcoming Church Schedule from now to the end of the year, through the Holiday Season!<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>HOLIDAY SCHEDULE</b> </span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Sunday, November 18</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">L</span><span class="fullpost">ord’s Day Morning and Evening Services - 8:30 &amp; 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Tuesday, November 20</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Midweek Prayer Meeting (Discipleship Groups are NOT meeting) </span><br /><span class="fullpost"><em>Note that Wednesday Midweek activities shift to Tuesday for next week only (because of the Thanksgiving Holiday)</em> </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Thursday, November 22</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Thanksgiving Service - 8:30 a.m. (Nursery Provided)</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Thursday-Friday, November 22-23</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Church Offices are Closed for Thanksgiving</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Sunday, November 25</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Lord’s Day Morning and Evening Services - 8:30 &amp; 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Sunday, December 2</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Sunday Morning and Evening Services - 8:30 &amp; 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. </span><br /><span class="fullpost">The Children's Choir Christmas Music as part of the Evening Worship Service</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Tuesday, December 4</b>WIC Christmas Dinner - 6:30 p.m.</span><br /><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Wednesday, December 5</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">"Joy, An Irish Christmas" with Keith and Kristyn Getty - 6:30 p.m. </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Thursday, December 6</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Men of the Covenant Luncheon - 11:45 a.m. Speaker: Tom Elkin </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Sunday, December 16</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Lord’s Day Morning Services - 8:30 &amp; 11:00 a.m. </span><br /><span class="fullpost">Music of Christmas Lessons and Carols 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Wednesday, December 19</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Prayer Meeting - 6:30 p.m. No Supper, Nursery or Children's Activites</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Friday, December 21</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Day School Dismissed for Holidays 11:00 a.m.</span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"> <b>Sunday, December 23</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Lord’s Day Morning and Evening Services - 8:30 &amp; 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Monday, December 24</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Family Christmas Eve Carol Service 4:00 p.m. (Nursery Provided) </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Monday-</b></span><span class="fullpost"><b>Tuesday, December 24-25</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Church Offices are Closed for Christmas <b></b></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b></b></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Wednesday, December 26</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">No Midweek Activities </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Sunday, December 30</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Lord’s Day Morning and Evening Services - 8:30 &amp; 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Tuesday, January 1</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">Church Offices are Closed for New Years Day </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><b>Wednesday, January 2</b></span><br /><span class="fullpost">No Midweek Activities </span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/11/holiday-schedule-sunday-november-18.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-8928903005932552758Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:23:00 +00002012-11-05T10:23:00.443-06:00Thabiti Anyabwile, Giving the John Reed Miller Lectures at RTS Jackson, November 5-6, 2012<span class="fullpost"> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/112188310/Thabiti-Lectures-and-Schedule">http://www.scribd.com/doc/112188310/Thabiti-Lectures-and-Schedule</a></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/11/thabiti-anyabwile-giving-john-reed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-8856943566507425368Sun, 19 Aug 2012 17:39:00 +00002012-08-19T12:39:13.110-05:00Charles Simeon, Exhortation to Holiness not antithetical to the Gospel and GraceCharles Simeon offers some sober warnings about a carelessness in how some preachers teach about the Gospel and grace, in relation to holiness and obedience.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost">How deluded they are who rest in Christian principles, without aspiring after Christian attainments— Such there have been in every age of the Church. Not that the Gospel has in itself any tendency to create such characters; but the corruption of men’s hearts will take occasion from the Gospel to foster sentiments, which are, in reality, subversive of its most fundamental truths.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">Many regard all exhortations to holiness as legal: yea, there are not wanting some who will maintain, that Christ, having fulfilled the law for us, has absolved us from all obligation to obey it in any of its commands. They affirm that it is cancelled, not only as a covenant of works, but as a rule of life. They profess, that the sanctification of Christ is imputed to us, precisely as his righteousness is; and that we need no personal holiness, because we have a sufficient holiness in him.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">Horrible beyond expression are such sentiments as these: and how repugnant they are to those contained in our text, it is needless to observe. That some who advance these sentiments are externally moral, and often benevolent, must be confessed: (if any be truly pious, it is not by means of these principles, but in spite of them:) but the great body of them, with, it is to be feared, but few exceptions, bear the stamp of their unchristian principles in their whole spirit and conduct.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">The whole family of them may be distinguished by the following marks.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">They are full of pride and conceit, imagining that none can understand the Gospel but themselves. Such is their confidence in their own opinions, that they seem to think it impossible that they should err.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">They are dogmatical in the extreme, laying down the law for every one, and expecting all to bow to their judgment: and so contemptuous are they, that they speak of all as blind and ignorant who presume to differ from them.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">Their irreverent manner of treating the great mysteries of our religion is also most offensive; they speak of them with a most unhallowed familiarity, as though they were common things: and so profane are they, that they hesitate not. to sneer at the very word of God itself, whenever it militates against their favourite opinions. “By these fruits ye shall know them;” and by these fruits ye may judge of their principles.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost">True indeed, with their errors they bring forth much that is sound and good: but this only renders their errors the more palatable and the more delusive. They altogether vitiate the taste of the religious world, and indispose them for all practical instruction. They so exclusively set forth what may be called “the strong meat” of the Gospel, as to withhold all “milk” from the household of our God. In a word, they promote nothing but spiritual intoxication, and banish from the Church all spiritual sobriety. </span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><span class="fullpost"><br /></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/08/charles-simeon-exhortation-to-holiness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-9117497264660988510Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:18:00 +00002012-08-17T08:18:20.575-05:00Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention<div style="text-align: justify;">Dr. Frank S. Page has named an advisory group to help the SBC navigate the issues surrounding Calvinism. I know many of the fine people he has appointed to the team. His goal is for these folks to "help him craft a strategic plan to bring together various groups within the convention who hold different opinions on the issue of Calvinism" and then to "develop a strategy whereby people of various theological persuasions can purposely work together in missions and evangelism." This is most welcome, IMHO. <span class="fullpost"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">I hope that some of the State-level SBC officials and others who have been attempting to wage an exclusionary campaign against Calvinism in the SBC will re-think their activities in light of what Dr. Page is so graciously doing here. Dr. Page is in print critiquing Calvinism but he also understands that some of the best and brightest (and a significant proportion of the younger generation) of the SBC are Calvinists, and that they are in complete accord with the historic Baptist tradition and the Baptist Faith and Message, and that they are aggressively committed to the Great Commission, evangelism, missions and church planting. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">As a Bible-believing Presbyterian (PCA), I am so thankful for the SBC. Of course I love that many SBC Baptists have rediscovered their historic Calvinist roots, but I value the SBC for profound reasons other than that. I rejoice in the SBC commitment to inerrancy. I treasure the SBC's fidelity to the Gospel. I admire the SBC's focus on the Great Commission. I revel in the SBC's warm embrace of complementarianism. SBC Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike embrace these theological priorities. I revere Dr. Paige Patterson and love Dr. Albert Mohler too. I respect Dr. Malcolm Yarnell and Dr. Russell Moore. I appreciate Dr. Chuck Kelley and Dr. Danny Akin as well. I esteem Dr. Mark Dever and Dr. Johnny Hunt. And I could go on. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fullpost">Friends, the SBC is hugely important to the rest of evangelicalism, and the vitality, unity and theological fidelity of the SBC is strategic for the well-being of robust Gospel witness here in the increasingly pagan Western world. I count you as a friend and ally, brethren of the SBC. Even if you think me to be suspect and dangerous because of my Calvinism and Presbyterianism (and, tell it not in Gath, my paedo-baptist convictions!), I love you still. And I pray for you. And I want you to prosper. And I thank God for you at every remembrance. </span></div>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/08/calvinism-in-southern-baptist-convention.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-51219920349970222Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:39:00 +00002012-08-12T14:39:05.149-05:00David Felker and Ralph Kelley Ordination/Installation Tonight at 6 o'clock<span class="fullpost"> Tonight, on this beautiful Lord's Day evening, we will ordain and install David Felker as our Minister of Young Adults, and we will install Ralph Kelley as our Executive Minister (he is already ordained). Afterwards we will all have an opportunity to welcome them at a reception in their honor in Lowe Hall. Make plans to be here for this very special occasion. We are thankful to God for His generous gift of these men and their families to us.</span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/08/david-felker-and-ralph-kelley.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-5631446861696986281Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:19:00 +00002012-08-11T13:14:35.960-05:00Ordination and Installation, Sunday PM, August12, 2012<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="fullpost"><b><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION SERVICE </span></b></span><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><b>August 12, 2012</b></span></span></div><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><b></b></span></span><br /><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Please plan to join us Sunday evening, August 12, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. We will have a special service of ordination and installation for David Felker as our new Minister of Young Adults and a service of installation for Ralph Kelley as our new Executive Minister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />It will be a time to praise and thank God for the call He has placed on their lives, and the gifts that He has given our church in giving them to us.</div></span></span><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"> </span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">There will be a reception in Lowe Hall immediately following the service.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"></div>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/08/ordination-and-installation-sunday-pm.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-8661794782988546734Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:55:00 +00002012-04-17T11:00:38.280-05:00Twin Lakes Fellowship, 2012 Schedule2012 Twin Lakes Fellowship Schedule<span class="fullpost"> </span><br /><span class="fullpost"></span><br />Tuesday Activity <br />12:00 Noon Check-in begins lunch available in the Dining Hall <br />1:30-1:45 Welcome and Singing <br />1:45-1:50 Devotional Reading 1 <br />1:50-2:50 Seminar 1 – The Hopefulness of Progressive Sanctification Philippians 2:12-13 – Ligon Duncan <br />2:50-3:20 Break <br />3:20-4:15 Introductions of church planters and newly attending Twin Lakes Fellows – Carl Robbins<br /> 4:15-4:30 Break <br />4:30-4:35 Devotional Reading 2 <br />4:35-6:05 Seminar 2 – The Content of Our Preaching – Terry Johnson <br />6:05 Supper and Fellowship <br />7:30-9:00 Worship Service 1 – Wheels with Eyes: The Providence of God Ezekiel 1 - Dr. Douglas F. Kelly, preaching <br />9:00-9:05 Meditation, Repentance, Reflection, Rejoicing and Evening Fellowship and Rest <br /><br />Wednesday Activity <br />8:00 Breakfast and Fellowship <br />9:10-9:15 Devotional Reading 3 <br />9:15-10:30 Worship Service 2 – We Do Not Lose Heart: The Way of the Cross 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 - Dr. Sean Lucas, preaching <br />10:30-11:00 Break <br />11:00-11:05 Devotional Reading 4 <br />11:05-12:15 Seminar 3 – Leading with the Soul: The Crucible of Pastoral Ministry – Nate Shurden<br /> 12:15 Break for lunch and fellowship <br />1:45-1:50 Devotional Reading 5 <br />1:50-3:00 Worship Service 3 - The Missional Pastor: Our Call, Hindrances, Dangers, Help! Jonah –– Elbert McGowan, preaching <br />3:00-3:30 Church Planting Interviews and Reports 1 – Carl Robbins <br />3:30-6:00 Free Time – rest, recreation and fellowship <br />6:00 Supper and Fellowship <br />6:55-7:00 Devotional Reading 6 <br />7:00-8:30 Worship Service 4 – To Journey's End Mark 14:32-42 - Derek W. H. Thomas, preaching<br /> 8:30-8:35 Meditation, Repentance, Reflection, Rejoicing and Evening Fellowship and Rest <br /><br />Thursday Activity <br />8:00 Breakfast and Fellowship 8:40-8:45 <br />Devotional Reading 7 <br />8:45-10:00 Worship Service 5 – One Like No Others Hebrews 1:13-14 - Professor Reddit Andrews, preaching <br />10:00-10:05 Break <br />10:05-10:30 Church Planting Interviews and Reports 2 – Carl Robbins <br />10:30-11:00 Interview with Caleb Cangelosi <br />11:00-11:15 Break <br />11:15-12:00 Recorded Interview with Kevin DeYoung <br />12:00-12:05 Devotional Reading 8 <br />12:10 Brown bag lunch and Farewellhttp://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/04/twin-lakes-fellowship-2012-schedule.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-4497328958897475032Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:32:00 +00002012-02-20T14:41:18.198-06:00Three Things that All Jesus' Disciples DoJesus' disciples, all of them, Come to Jesus, Listen to Jesus, and Live for Jesus. They depend on Jesus (and Jesus alone) for acceptance with God, they believe what Jesus teaches and they do what he commands. They Come to Christ, Hear Christ and Obey Christ. They come to him for pardon and acceptance, they listen to him for faith and live according to his word for joy.<br /><br />So, Christians, heed the words of your Savior and (1) Come to Jesus, who is the only way to the Father and only hope of salvation; (2) Listen to Jesus like your life depended on it (because it does); and (3) Live as if Jesus is really your Lord and treasure (especially in the storms of life).<br /><br />Charles Simeon elaborates this point in his comments on Matthew 7:24.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /></span><br />"In the words before us he describes,the character and condition of the godly— Their character is drawn in simple but comprehensive terms—<br /><br />“They come to Christ:” this is absolutely necessary to their entrance on the divine life: till they have come to Christ under a sense of their own guilt and helplessness, they have no pretensions to godliness; they are obnoxious to the curse of the law, and the wrath of God.<br /><br />After they have come to Christ, “they hear his sayings;” they sit at his feet, like Mary,” desiring to be fully instructed in his mind and will. With this view they study the Holy Scriptures, and “meditate in them day and night:” with this view also they attend the ordinances, and “receive the word, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God.”<br /><br />They do not, however, rest in hearing his sayings; but they go forth to “do them.” They desire to know his will in order that they may do it. They love the most searching discourses, because by them they discover the evil of their own hearts, and are led to aspire after a fuller conformity to the Divine image: nor would they rest, till they feel every “thought and desire captivated to the obedience of Christ.”http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/02/three-things-that-all-jesus-disciples.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-2321897736576827081Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:07:00 +00002012-02-05T15:29:58.175-06:00A Lesson in Showing Proof of Our Love, from John PatonAs Derek preached from 2 Corinthians 8 this morning, and especially as he exhorted us to "show proof of our love" (2 Cor 8:24) in light of and in response to God's lavish love to us in the giving and sending of his Son, Jesus Christ and in the Son's gracious self-giving (2 Cor 8:9), I thought of the story of Scottish Missionary John Paton, who was deeply motivated in his life and ministry and mission by a loving earthly father who loved the heavenly Father.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />I think it was my professor, David B. Calhoun, who first brought this story to my attention. When John Paton was leaving home for Glasgow to study theology and medicine and to work amongst the urban poor, before eventually heading to the New Hebrides to minister among the cannabilistic inhabitants what is now Vanuatu, he recounts this touching story of parting with his dear father on the road from Totherwald to Kilmarnock.<br /><br />"My dear father walked with me the first six miles of the way. His counsels and tears and heavenly conversation on that parting journey are fresh in my heart as if it had been but yesterday; and tears are on my cheeks as freely now as then, whenever memory steals me away to the scene.<br /><br />"For the last half mile or so we walked on together in almost unbroken silence—my father, as was often his custom, carrying hat in hand, while his long flowing yellow hair (then yellow, but in later years white as snow) streamed like a girl’s down his shoulders. His lips kept moving in silent prayers for me; and his tears fell fast when our eyes met each other in looks for which all speech was vain!<br /><br />"We halted on reaching the appointed parting place; he grasped my hand firmly for a minute in silence, and then solemnly and affectionately said: “God bless you, my son! Your father’s God prosper you, and keep you from all evil!”<br /><br />"Unable to say more, his lips kept moving in silent prayer; in tears we embraced, and parted.<br /><br />"I ran off as fast as I could; and, when about to turn a corner in the road where he would lose sight of me, I looked back and saw him still standing with head uncovered where I had left him—gazing after me. Waving my hat in adieu, I rounded the corner and out of sight in instant.<br /><br />"But my heart was too full and sore to carry me further, so I darted into the side of the road and wept for time. "Then, rising up cautiously, I climbed the dike to see if he yet stood where I had left him; and just at that moment I caught a glimpse of him climbing the dike and looking out for me! He did not see me, and after he gazed eagerly in my direction for a while he got down, set his face toward home, and began to return—his head still uncovered, and his heart, I felt sure, still rising in prayers for me.<br /><br />"I watched through blinding tears, till his form faded from my gaze; and then, hastening on my way, vowed deeply and oft, by the help of God, to live and act so as never to grieve or dishonor such a father and mother as he had given me.<br /><br />"The appearance of my father when we parted has often through life risen vividly before my mind, and does so now as if it had been but an hour ago. In my earlier years particularly, when exposed to many temptations, his parting form rose before me as that of a guardian Angel. It is no pharisaism, but deep gratitude, which makes me here testify that the memory of that scene not only helped to keep me pure from the prevailing sins, but also stimulated me in all my studies, that I might not fall short of his hopes, and in all my Christian duties, that I might faithfully follow his shining example. (Autobiography, pp. 25-26)<br /><br />We have an even more wonderful and loving heavenly Father than John Paton's earthly father. Shouldn't we want to show proof of our love to him, because of his great love and grace to us, in giving to the cause of his Son's kingdom (2 Corinthians 8:24)? Isn't that precisely what Paul was saying to the Corinthians?</span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/02/as-derek-preached-from-2-corinthians-8.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-775968501597811350Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:28:00 +00002012-01-14T22:28:06.302-06:00Learning a Lesson from the Road to EmmausLet us learn a lesson from the two travelers to Emmaus. Let us speak of Jesus, when we are sitting in our houses and when we are walking by the way, whenever we can find a disciple to speak to. (Deut. 6:7.) If we believe we are journeying to a heaven where Christ will be the central object of every mind, let us begin to learn the manners of heaven, while we are yet upon earth. So doing we shall often have One with us whom our eyes will not see, but One who will make our hearts "burn within us" by blessing the conversation. (J.C. Ryle) <span class="fullpost"> </span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/01/learning-lesson-from-road-to-emmaus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-5525278776801333785Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:32:00 +00002012-01-08T07:33:19.892-06:00J.C. Ryle on Spiritual Conversation"Conference on spiritual subjects is a most important means of grace. As iron sharpens iron, so does exchange of thoughts with brethren sharpen a believer's soul. It brings down a special blessing on all who make a practice of it. The striking words of Malachi were meant for the Church in every age --"Then those who feared the Lord spoke often one to another--and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine says the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels." (Mal. 3:16, 17.)" (J.C. Ryle, <b><i>Expository Thoughts on Luke</i></b>) <span class="fullpost"></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2012/01/jc-ryle-on-spiritual-conversation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-2536490950726430762Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:15:00 +00002011-09-02T12:18:12.761-05:00Twin Lakes Picnic Scheduled for September 5 <p class="p1">As you know our church wide Labor Day picnic is scheduled for this Monday, September 5th. Currently there is a tropical depression in the gulf projected to bring 70% chance of thunderstorms and wind to our area on Monday. Therefore, the decision has been made to cancel Monday's picnic. </p> <p class="p2">
<br /></p> <p class="p1">We are sorry for any inconvenience.</p><span class="fullpost"></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/09/twin-lakes-picnic-scheduled-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joshua Rieger)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-4785842702231792146Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:49:00 +00002011-08-17T16:50:34.446-05:00CALLING ALL MEN!<div style="text-align: center;"><b>FPC Men’s Bible Study</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>
<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Men, this Fall Rev. Josh Rieger will lead a weekly morning Bible study through a series on Covenant Theology. The study will include teaching, guided discussion, weekly reading assignments, and prayer. The Bible study will meet on Tuesday mornings from 6:30-7:45 a.m. in Miller Hall from September 6 through November 22. A full breakfast will be served each week for $6.00.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>
<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>
<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>To sign up for this study, please contact Shannon Craft, Administrative Assistant of Discipleship, at shannonc@fpcjackson.org or call 601-326-9243.</b></div>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/08/calling-all-men.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-7729288350194384639Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:20:00 +00002011-08-17T16:54:36.513-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Content in Every Situation: Phil 4:10-20 (Part III)<div>
<br /></div><div>We are rounding out this penultimate section of Philippians in which Paul is both thanking the Philippians for their faithful support of him and his ministry as well as exhorting them to contentment. Last week we saw how Paul described the nature of contentment, and how – very often – those who are most content in this life with their circumstances are prevented from having true contentment. We also said that those of us who are most discontent with this life, this was passage was written especially to encourage us. This week I want to begin by looking at what we might call the “secret of contentment.”</div><span class="fullpost"><div>
<br /></div><div><b>III. The secret of contentment.</b></div><div> Now, so what’s the secret? He tells you in verses 11-13 that his contentment doesn’t come from his circumstances; that they do not contribute to or detract from the gospel contentment that he enjoys. That’s still not the secret, but it sets you up to hear the secret.</div><div>
<br /></div><div> It’s interesting, there are many forms of Buddhism all concerned that you cultivate contentment. One significant brand of Buddhism says the way you cultivate contentment is you lower your expectations. And Paul’s telling you at the outset, “Wrong! Not the source of contentment. Contentment doesn’t come from circumstances or your lowered expectations of those circumstances. Contentment, real, gospel contentment comes from someplace else.” Where? He tells you in verse 13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”</div><div>
<br /></div><div> In other words, <b>the secret of contentment is God’s providence apprehended by your soul.</b> It’s not just the doctrine of God’s providence, though you’ve got to understand the doctrine before you can experience contentment. It’s not just the doctrine of God’s providence taught to you, it is the God of providence embraced by your soul so that you believe it. Gospel contentment rests on a deep, personal embrace of God’s providence.</div><div>
<br /></div><div> Paul is <i><b>not </b></i>saying you can do anything. In this verse God is saying to you, “anything that I ask you to do and anyplace where I put you, you can be content and thrive. Because I’m the one who strengthens you.”</div><div>
<br /></div><div> It takes years to work that truth deep down into your bones so that it is your default setting, but that is the secret of contentment. The battle is of course getting it into the heart so that it dominates all of your circumstances.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>IV. The song of contentment.</b></div><div> Now, contentment has a song. Contentment has a song, and the lyrics are written down in verse 19. Here’s the theme song of contentment:</div><div><i>
<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
<br /></i></div><div>The song of contentment is, ‘My God, I believe that Your supply of my needs is more real than the air that I’m breathing right now. I believe that Your supply of all my needs is more real than the food that I eat, more real than the skin that I’m in, more real, more lasting, than any circumstance that I’m in right now. That’s my theme song.’ And until the truth of God’s providence has worked deep down into our hearts so that it is the reflex reaction the minute that we’re in any difficult circumstances of life, we haven’t yet apprehended the secret of contentment in the way that we need to.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><b>V. Contentment is grateful.</b></div><div> Now there’s one last thing: Contentment is grateful, and you see it in the doxology that Paul sings in verse 20:</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i> “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
<br /></i></div><div> Contentment expresses itself in constant gratitude to God. God-glorifying gratefulness flows from the heart of the one who is content. <b>Show me a content person in gospel contentment, I’ll show you a person who’s grateful to God. Put them in the worst circumstance of life, they’ll still praise God. </b>Why? Because He has supplied all their needs and they know it. And they know that nobody else in the world can take away what He has supplied. The world can take everything else away, but they cannot take what He has supplied. </div><div>
<br /></div><div> You may be a Christian who is discontent. That’s okay, and that’s not okay. It’s not okay because God wants you to live in contentment. It’s okay because you’re at the starting block if you’re there. If you’re content in yours circumstances, you’re not even in the game yet. But if you’re a Christian and you’re discontent, there is really good news waiting for you. Pick up the Bible and starting working through it.</div><div>
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<br /></div></span></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/08/gleanings-in-philippians-content-in_08.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-7876127407196144918Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:59:00 +00002011-08-01T11:19:34.314-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Content in Every Situation: Phil 4:10-20 (Part II)<div>We are nearing a close of this wonderful letter by the Apostle Paul. As he is closing and thanking them for their gift of financial support, Paul is urging his beloved Philippian congregation to be content in their situation. He points to how he has learned to be content and calls them, as he has done before, to imitate him.</div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div>Last week, we studied Paul’s gratitude for the gift of support that the impoverished Philippian congregation sent to him. In doing so, Paul teaches that he has learned to be contented in all things and the reason he can be so contented is because God desires for His people to be content. That is the foundation for us, it is possible to be content in one’s present situation because it is God’s desire for us, for those whom He has called in His son to be content. </div><div><br /></div><div>This week, I want to look with you at the <i>Nature of Contentment</i>.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>II. The nature of contentment.</b></div><div> It’s very important that you understand the nature of this contentment as well, because there are all sorts of theories about contentment out there and how you attain contentment; but Paul, in verse 11, tells you something else about the nature of the contentment. Look at what he says at the end of verse 11: “For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Did you catch that? “For I have <i><b>learned </b></i>in whatever situation I am to be content.” Isn’t that an encouragement?</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>But here’s what I want you to see, maybe more than anything else: You are more likely to find real contentment when you <i>realize your lack</i> of real contentment</b> than if you are in a circumstance in life where your situation provides you with such comforts that you are not thinking about your lack of the real thing.</div><div><br /></div><div> This is why Jesus said that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.</div><div><br /></div><div> Why? Because the rich man can mistake circumstantial contentment for gospel contentment. He can mistake a superficial temporal contentment with a deep and permanent and eternal contentment, and he cannot seek real contentment because he doesn’t sense his lack of real contentment, because he’s in circumstances that make him content.</div><div><br /></div><div> If you’re out there reading this saying, “<i>Yes, Ligon, I am deeply discontent</i>,” <b>I’ve got good news for you. </b>You are more likely to seek real contentment and find it than someone who is content in his or her circumstances.</div><div><br /></div><div> And this then why it is so deadly what the “health and wealth” preachers are saying around you? They’re saying, ‘Look, God wants you to be affluent. God wants you to have stuff.’</div><div><br /></div><div> Very often it is precisely the stuff and the affluence that blinds us to the real thing, and so God in His kindness takes away the stuff and puts us in hard life circumstances and situations so that we realize, ‘You know, Lord, I really don’t have gospel contentment.’ And for the first time in our lives we’ll realize that we don’t have the real thing, and we’ll want it, and so we will accept no substitute.</div><div><br /></div><div> That means, if you’re just not content, hating where you are, things just don’t leave you satisfied, and your discontented, then this is for you.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Maybe it’s your finances. Bill collectors are calling, and the bills aren’t adding up to the income. And month after month you feel like you’re just slipping deeper and deeper, and you’re deeply dissatisfied and discontent with where you are.</div><div><br /></div><div> Maybe it’s your marriage. You don’t say it to your spouse, but in the dark of the night you look up to heaven and you say, ‘Lord, this is not where I thought I would be. This is not what I thought I was buying into. This is not the dream of my heart as a child for my marriage.’</div><div><br /></div><div> Or maybe it’s just your life situation…</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Whatever it is, you are <i>poised </i>for a great discovery, and that is that your contentment doesn’t come from those things, and those things cannot stop the contentment of God. Your contentment – and that’s what we’re going to learn next week – is non-circumstantial. If you are after God-contentment, if you are after gospel contentment, if you are after real contentment, the first thing you learn about it is it’s non-circumstantial.</div><div><br /></div><div> You are more apt to seek real gospel contentment and find it if you don’t have it than if you are fat with the circumstantial contentment of this world. That is really, really good news. That’s what we must understand and <i>learn </i>that we can be content in every situation because it doesn’t come from our present situation.</div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/08/gleanings-in-philippians-content-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-2285388260793713399Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:20:00 +00002011-07-25T16:23:50.544-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Content in Every Situation: Phil 4:10-20 (Part I)<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>After a brief break last week, we have drawn almost to the end of this great letter. The amazing passage that we are in for the next few days contains three of the most well-known and beloved phrases or sentences in the whole letter, which focus in on one theme: the theme of contentment, which will be our subject for the rest of the week or so. </div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div> <b>First in this section, Paul is expressing gratitude for the gift that the Philippian congregation sent him</b>. Paul knows that this congregation is exceedingly poor and exceedingly generous at the same time, and it’s almost embarrassing to receive a gift from them.</div><div><br /></div><div> At a short, first glance, the Apostle Paul may seem be saying to them that he doesn’t need their gift, but that’s not it at all; he’s trying to show how God has made him content in all things. When the Apostle Paul thanks them he really means it, because he knows this congregation: they are less able than any other congregation in Macedonia to give him support, and yet he’s going to say later on in this passage they have been the only congregation to stick by him throughout his ministry. Even when he was in Thessalonica with people that could have supported him more easily than the Philippians, it was the Philippians that were supporting his ministry in Thessalonica. </div><div><br /></div><div> <b> The second thing is that he wants to make sure that the Philippians don’t misunderstand is he’s not asking them to send some more.</b> Have you ever gotten a thank-you letter from somebody that was really just a request for another gift? Paul wants to make it clear that he is not doing that. </div><div><br /></div><div> Along with this, Paul wants to do a third thing here: <b>He wants to teach the Philippians something vitally important about the Christian life, about contentment</b>. </div><div><br /></div><div> Are you content? Right where you are now, right in your life situation? Or are you one of those honest people who, in the quietness of your heart and in the solitariness of your room, you look in the mirror in the bathroom and you look at yourself and you say, “No, I’m not content. I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. I’ve not arrived at contentment. I’m not living in contentment. I’m struggling in ‘the summer of my discontent’ right now”? Well, I’ve got good news for you: precisely because you are where you are, Paul has a word especially for you. <b>In this passage he teaches us five things about gospel contentment.</b> He teaches us about the need for contentment, about the nature of contentment, about the secret of contentment, about the song of contentment, and about the gratefulness of contentment. We will look today at God’s desire for His people’s contentment and in the coming weeks, we’ll examine those other aspects of Paul’s message.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>I. God wants His people to be content.</b></div><div> God desires His people to live in a state of contentment, and so Paul is first, in verse 11, going to speak of the need for and the importance of gospel contentment. Paul says (verse 11): “Not that I am speaking of need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am …” [what?] “…to be content.” He is commending to the Philippians his state of contentment, and he is saying to them that he wants them to be content; that God wants them to live in a state of contentment. Paul is saying here Christians are to be content – and Paul talks about this all the time.</div><div><br /></div><div> Think of II Corinthians 12:10, where he says, “For the sake of Christ then, I am content...” and these are the circumstances in which he says this: ‘I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.’ Perhaps you’re thinking, ‘Paul, you need to see a psychiatrist if you’re content with that!’ But for Paul it’s very important, and he follows up by saying, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And in I Timothy 6:6-8, he says,</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world, but if we have food and clothing, with these we will be <b>content</b>.” </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> Contentment is a big deal for Paul. He taught his student, the author of Hebrews this truth, and in Hebrews 13:5, the author says,</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’”</i></div><div><br /></div><div> Paul…the Bible…God is concerned for Christians to be content. It is a significant, important need for the Christian life. </div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/07/gleanings-in-philippians-content-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-4148773612755450340Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:58:00 +00002011-07-14T17:01:35.886-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Do as I Do: Phil 4.8-9 (Part II)<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Apostle Paul is back to his theme of helping Christians fight worldliness. Paul equips us to fight worldliness by dwelling on the Word of God, by thinking on excellent things, and by following godly examples. When we do those things, says Paul, we are attended by the God of peace.</div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div><b>I. The important of meditation in the Christian life.</b></div><div> Notice his words: “…think about these things” (end of verse 8). This is a call to Christian meditation. He’s saying you will not grow in the Christian life unless you are deliberately locked on to a pattern of mediating on and reflecting about and thinking deeply on the truths of God’s word, and things which are true and commendable.</div><div><br /></div><div> The kind of meditation that Paul is calling you and me to is entirely different than the kind of meditation that you most frequently encounter. Almost all practitioners of meditation will tell you that it is vital to empty your mind. <b>You will never find that instruction in Scripture!</b></div><div><br /></div><div> Paul’s mediation is not about emptying the mind: it is about filling the mind up with God’s word and that which is true and commendable, and then working that around. The point of meditation, you understand, is so that we hear God’s word. Forms of mediation and even a prayer that tell us that we need to empty our minds, to wait, to listen for God to speak to us, are assuming that God has not already spoken to us. </div><div><br /></div><div> The problem is not that God’s not spoken; the problem is that we’re not listening!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b> Meditation is the activity of calling to mind and thinking over and dwelling on and applying to yourself the various things that you know about the works and the ways and the purposes and promises of God, from God’s word.</b> Meditation humbles, encourages, and reassures us. Meditation especially, connects the mind and the will – the head and the heart – so that the truth we know is worked deep down into our soul so that it begins to affect what we desire.</div><div><br /></div><div> We are bombarded with stimuli 24/7 of various media, so if you do not deliberately plan to think on what is true and commendable, it’s not going to come knocking to your door. And without thinking on such things, you’re not going to grow.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><b>II. The importance of cultivating godly affections and desires</b></div><div> He says: Think on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.</div><div><br /></div><div> When you are bombarded by a powerful desire that is enticing you to focus on and enjoy something that is either wrong or trivial, you can’t fight something with nothing. The answer to fighting that powerful enticement to desiring something that is wrong or trivial is not to say “Stop it!” Chances are, if you are a Christian, you already know you ought to stop it. There has to be a desire that is opposite and greater than the desire that is enticing you to do wrong if you’re going to fight that desire. Meditating is so that you will begin to desire something better than that which is being offered to you.</div><div><br /></div><div> The Puritans made it a practice of meditating on six great things from God’s word: <i><b>the majesty of God; the severity of sin; the beauty of Christ; the certainty of death; the finality of judgment; and, the misery of hell. </b></i>And those six things they thought were absolutely essential for cultivating heavenly-mindedness.</div><div><br /></div><div> Paul is saying the same thing here, although he’s directing us to consider what is true and honorable, and just and pure, and lovely and commendable everywhere—not only in God’s word, but everywhere!</div><div><br /></div><div> As Paul is giving these exhortations, we must remember he’s not giving us the gospel. He’s telling Christians who already have received the gospel how to live the Christian life. If you’re not a Christian, these exhortations are not how you become a Christian. They’re how you live, having already become a Christian. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><b>III. The pattern of Christian discipleship</b></div><div> Paul gives us a four-part pattern for Christian discipleship: Meditation; Instruction; Direction; and, Application. </div><div><br /></div><div><b> First, “think on these things.”</b> Meditating on the word of God, deliberately reflecting upon, the content of God’s word and on what is true and honorable and just, and so on. So it begins with reflection. This is part of really, really listening.</div><div><br /></div><div><b> Second, instruction</b>. Notice that Paul does not think that our desires, that our affections, are innately right. They’re not innately set on the right things. Therefore we need our desires to be instructed. Our desires need to be directed in the right direction, and so he says, ‘What you learned and received from me, practice that.’ </div><div><br /></div><div><b> Third, direction</b>. Paul emphasizes that truth cannot simply be conveyed by a television, or a radio, or a CD. You have to hear and see the truth lived out. They heard and saw the truth from Paul, they got direction from him.</div><div><br /></div><div><b> And then there’s application</b>: Put all this into practice.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><b>IV. A promise.</b></div><div> This promise is even better than the promise that Paul gave in verse 7, “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” But the promise in verse 9 is even better. Follow these exhortations, and what does Paul say? “And the God of peace will be with you.”</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In verse 7, he says follow these exhortations and the peace of God will be with you. In verse 9, he says follow these exhortations and the God of peace will be with you. The God of peace himself, the God who gives peace, the God who gives the peace of God will be with you. Practice these things and the God of peace will draw near to you, and you will know His presence and you will know His peace because He has drawn near to you as you obey His word.</div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/07/gleanings-in-philippians-do-as-i-do_14.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-5208908296226190381Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:53:00 +00002011-07-12T16:55:39.963-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Do as I Do: Phil 4.8-9 (Part I)<div>We said a little while ago that Paul was teaching us how to fight worldliness, and one way to fight worldliness was by carefully following the godly examples of believers around us.</div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Paul is back to that theme again today. You see it especially in verse 9, where he urges us to follow the practice that they have seen and heard from him as well as what he taught. </div><div><br /></div><div> And you’ll also notice, as you look at verses 2-7 of Philippians 4, that a pattern emerges in which Paul gives exhortations and then follows that list of exhortations with a promise. In Philippians 4:2-7, he gives four exhortations that are meant to be part of our growth in grace in the Christian life, and he concludes them with a promise that the peace of God will surround and flood their understanding and desires.</div><div><br /></div><div> Today, once again, Paul has a series of exhortations, and he’ll follow it with a promise – a promise very closely related to the promise that he has stated in verse 7. That promise comes at the end of verse 9. So the pattern again is exhortation followed by promise. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><b> Before we delve into the text I want to ask you a question. How often do you think? I mean really think</b>. How deeply do you reflect on the most important things of life? Are you so caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day that you find yourself, like I do, at the end of a long day filled up with all sorts of stuff, at about 10:30 at night wondering if you’ve thought about anything of eternal significance?</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I had a professor in college in the history department, and I always enjoyed sitting outside his office waiting for my appointment because he had interesting cartoons and sayings on his door. One of the sayings that I still remember went something like this: “Some people would rather die than think. Many do.” I liked that saying; it made me think every once in a while!</div><div><br /></div><div> But the pace and preoccupations of our lives, especially in our contemporary world, conspire together against deep thinking. They do that together by preoccupying us with the trivial so that we never get around to the profound and the permanent.</div><div><br /></div><div> Well, in this passage the Apostle Paul makes it absolutely clear how important it is for our living of the Christian life to think deeply—to meditate, to reflect upon the truth of God’s word. In fact, he says it is absolutely of strategic importance to the Christian life that we do so.</div><div><br /></div><div> If you remember what Paul said at 3:17, “Do as I do,” and you might have had the same thought that I did, “Paul, how in the world can I do what you do? How can I follow the one who saw Christ face to face? How can I emulate your example?” But, Paul in this passage lays out a pattern for us to emulate him. H<b>e’s going to teach us four huge truths about living the Christian life.</b> Let me just outline them for you and point you to the parts in the passage where they come from.</div><div><br /></div><div><b> First of all, he’s going to tell you the importance of meditation in the Christian life</b>. You see that in the very last words of verse 8: “Think on these things.” What’s Paul talking about? He’s talking about Christian meditation.</div><div><br /></div><div><b> Secondly, he’s going to tell you about the importance of cultivating godly affections and desires</b>; that is, desires that are set on the right thing, desires that want the right thing, desires that admire the right thing, desires that are fixed on the right thing. You see that even in the list that he gives in verse 8: things that are true and honorable, and just and pure, and lovely and commendable, and excellent, and worthy of praise. What’s he doing there? He’s reminding you of how important it is for you to lock in on things that you ought to desire, because the world isn’t going to come knocking at your door offering you a list of things that you ought to desire. It’s going to come knocking at your door with a list of things to desire, but they won’t necessarily be the list of the things that you ought to desire.</div><div><br /></div><div><b> Third, he’s going to show you the pattern of Christian discipleship in two verses</b>. In two verses he’s going to tell you how it is that you grow in grace.<b> And then, finally, he’s going to close with a promise.</b></div><div><br /></div><div> So, he’s going to point to the importance of Christians meditating on God’s word and on things which are true and commendable; he’s going to talk about the importance of cultivating godly affections or desires; he’s going to show you the pattern of the Christian life; and, he’s going to point you to a promise.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>On Thursday, we’ll look at those four items more in depth, but for now you have at least a taste of what Paul has said in this passage.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/07/gleanings-in-philippians-do-as-i-do.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-9118708401256821442Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:18:00 +00002011-07-11T12:00:49.119-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ The Shalom of God: Phil 4.2-7 (Part II)<div>Last week on Thursday we looked at the Apostle Paul's exhortation to two Christian women who have been disagreeing and he gives the Philippians - and us - exhortations for how to live in light of the gospel. We said last week that the two godly ladies who are disagreeing with one another should be reconciled in Christ. They are two leading Christian women in the church there, and yet somehow they have fallen out with one another and Paul calls on them to be reconciled. </div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div>Today we’ll look at the Apostle's three exhortations and the promise of peace of God that results when we live lives permeated by the gospel. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>II. Rejoice always. </b></div><div>The second thing he says by way of exhortation you see in verse 4: "Rejoice always." We've said over and over there is nothing about the Philippian situation that would make them rejoice, but they rejoice in God and what He has done for them. It is no accident that Paul, right after talking about a church division, would turn around and say, Rejoice always. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>III. Be reasonable.</b> </div><div>Then he says in verse 5, “Be reasonable.” Paul gives a reason to be reasonable, because the Lord is at hand. In our dealings with one another we're to be kind and gentle and generous, and respectful and reasonable, because The Lord Jesus is coming back at any moment. </div><div><br /></div><div>Have you ever been having a fight with your wife and a dear friend walks in? Ahem...things straighten up real quick, don't they? </div><div><br /></div><div>So Paul's saying, 'If Jesus walked in the door, suddenly things would straighten up real, real quick!' Paul's saying <b>the Lord could come back at any time, so conduct yourselves towards one another like it was Jesus who was getting ready to poke His head in the door, because He is!</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>IV. Don't worry. Pray instead. </b></div><div>And then he says don't worry, pray instead because God knows your needs. He's calling on us to show trust and confidence in God in all situations. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now Paul is not saying that the Philippians don't have anything to worry about. There are lots of reasons why they could worry, but because they've got a God who's in charge who loves them and to whom they can pray, so they needn't worry. </div><div><br /></div><div>Paul is giving this encouragement only to Christians, however.<b> If you're not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you do have something to worry about. Because you’ve turned your back on the only One who can do anything about your situation. </b>You haven't trusted Him, you really do have something to worry about. </div><div><br /></div><div>But here's the good news. Instead of turning your back on Him, if you'll look Him in the face and you'll trust in Him, you'll rest in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him for salvation as He is offered in the gospel, you too can know what it is like to live worry-free in a care-filled world, because you have a heavenly Father who has forgiven your sins, and you have a heavenly Father who has promised you in His Son Jesus Christ that He will provide for all your needs.</div><div> </div><div><b>V. The promise. </b></div><div>Then comes the promise in verse 7. Paul says when you have been cultivating joy in your heart, joy in the Lord, joy that's not derived from your circumstances, but joy which is derived from the gospel grace that God has shown to you in Jesus Christ, when you have been seeking to live in gentleness and reasonableness with your brothers and sisters in Christ, when you have, instead of worrying 24/7, you have been entrusting yourself to God to provide for your needs, and then in your time of need, in your hour of plight and trial, God is going to give you a peace beyond your comprehension, so that when your circumstances are screaming to you, "Despair! Hopelessness!" you will have a hope in you didn't come from you and didn't come from your situation, it came from the Holy Spirit testifying to your spirit this: God's promise is true, despite everything in your circumstances. </div><div><br /></div><div>The exhortations in verses 2-6 allow us to receive that promise. The promise is there for believers, every believer. But do you know what happens? If we won't pray, we won't experience the promise like God wants us to. If we don't cultivate reasonableness and gentleness with one another, we won't be ready to experience the promise the way the Lord wants us to. If we're not cultivating joy in the Lord in our hearts, we won't be ready to receive and experience the promise the way the Lord wants us to receive it. </div><div><br /></div><div>We see here again that <b>God never tells you to do something that isn't ultimately for your good!</b> Each of the exhortations in this passage, including the exhortation to be reconciled, is so that in your hour of need, you're readied by your heeding of these exhortations to experience the peace that passes understanding. </div><div><br /></div><div>We need that peace. But receiving that peace begins with our cultivating peace with one another, with our cultivating joy in our hearts, with our cultivating reasonableness and gentleness with one another, and with our praying and not worrying, because we have a God that we know loves and cares for us. And when we do that, the amazing thing is the Holy Spirit comes and gives a direct testimony to our souls that God's promise is true and will hold you up when there is nothing else in this world to hold you up.</div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/07/gleanings-in-philippians-shalom-of-god_11.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-2315441948511606338Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:52:00 +00002011-07-07T16:54:29.724-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ The Shalom of God: Phil 4.2-7 (Part I)<div>Have you ever wished that your name was in a Bible book? Well, if you did, you probably wanted your name mentioned in commendation, but you probably wouldn’t want your names mentioned in the way these two godly women’s names are mentioned here in Philippians 4:2 – that is, to rebuke you because you’re having a fight with one another! There is nothing unusual about the situation they’re going through, it happens in churches all over the world. </div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div> It just shows you, as beautiful as this passage is, this is a very practical passage. We’ll look at the passage in five parts. </div><div><br /></div><div> In verses 2-3, the first part is where that personal exhortation is made to Euodia and Syntyche, and that personal exhortation is very simple: “Be reconciled.” Then if you look at verse 4, you’ll see the second part of the passage. It’s a second exhortation, a general exhortation to everyone, “Rejoice always.” Then, the third part comes in verse 5, a general exhortation to everyone: “Be reasonable.” Be gentle and reasonable in the way you deal with one another. The fourth part of the passage comes in verse 6, a fourth exhortation in the passage: “Don’t worry, pray instead.” </div><div><br /></div><div> And then finally comes, not an exhortation, but a promise, and the promise we see in verse 7: God’s peace will surround and flood your understanding and desires. <b>This whole passage is actually telling you how it is that you are enabled to experience that extraordinary supernatural peace of God which is beyond our comprehension. </b></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We’ll consider Paul’s exhortation to reconciliation this week and then look at the other four parts next week.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>I. Be reconciled.</b></div><div> In verses 2-3, Paul addresses these two godly women, Euodia and Syntyche, and he urges them in the strongest terms, he begs them to agree in the Lord, to be reconciled to one another. Whatever division has come in between them that has separated them in their friendship and in their co-working in the gospel, he wants that to be overcome. </div><div><br /></div><div> Can you imagine, if your pastor had called you out by name on Sunday to be reconciled to another friend or family member with whom you were disagreeing? He might not live past the next hour if he did that! For Paul to do this though, shows his love and respect for these women, and theirs for him.</div><div><br /></div><div> These women were part of the core group in Philippi. Paul indicates that Euodia and Syntyche, these godly women, had been part of working with him shoulder to shoulder to advance the gospel in this church from the very beginning, and yet somehow these godly women (and he does not question their godliness or their Christian credentials in the least, rather he says of all of the people mentioned in verses 2 and 3 their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. He’s not talking about people who turned their back on the gospel. He’s talking about real godly women who had worked shoulder to shoulder with one another and with him) have gotten crosswise with one another. And Paul is deeply concerned about that.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>This exhortation is perennially relevant</b>. Paul expects this kind of struggle and situation to exist in the church, but he refuses to take it lying down. He is deeply concerned to see reconciliation between those that are estranged in the context of the congregation.</div><div><br /></div><div> And here’s the encouraging thing: gospel forgiveness and reconciliation cannot be manifested until there has been a break in a relationship which requires gospel forgiveness and reconciliation. So every estrangement that exists in a church is not simply something that burdens God’s heart that He longs to see corrected, but it is an opportunity for gospel forgiveness to be shown. You can’t show the gospel grace of forbearing a wrong against you and forgiving a brother or sister who has wounded you until they’ve wounded you, until they’ve wronged you. And so I simply want to say however deep your estrangement may be from a friend or from a family member, it is only then that the power of God’s grace in gospel forgiveness and reconciliation can be shown. And the Apostle Paul is saying at the very outset, “Be reconciled. Make it a priority to work for these kinds of reconciliations.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b> And do you notice how he calls on the rest of the congregation?</b> He doesn’t just say, ‘Euodia and Syntyche, work it out. Come on, ladies. Just work it out. Bury the hatchet.’ He’s not; obviously this thing has gotten so deep that they’re beyond working it out between one another. They need help. And so he tells Epaphroditus, who’s delivering this book, and he tells Clement, who’s already there ministering in the congregation, and he tells other fellow workers, ‘Look, I need all of you to work together to bring these dear sisters in Christ back into fellowship with one another.’</div><div><br /></div><div> Do you see what he’s saying? He’s saying that every member of the congregation has a part and a vested interest in the congregation’s forgiving and reconciling; and, therefore, every member of the congregation is to be praying towards and helping as you are able cultivate a culture of reconciliation in the church where forgiveness is offered and where relationships are restored. It’s that serious to the Apostle Paul, and it’s going to be connected, we’re going to see (in verse 7) to the experience of peace that passes understanding.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Next week, we’ll look at three more exhortations from the Apostle Paul and study the promise of God’s peace.</div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/07/gleanings-in-philippians-shalom-of-god.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-115966247263255596Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:14:00 +00002011-07-05T15:38:23.078-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Two Ways to Live: Phil 3.17-4:1 (Part II)<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Last week, we said that the Apostle Paul writes to the Philippians to encourage them how to live the Christian life. We also said that Paul writes this because they have already been saved and now he tells them how they are to live in light of that. </div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>He’s cautioning them against those who, calling themselves Christians, are concerned about the things of this world instead of the things of God and Christ. He gives them four ways to fight against the things of this world.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>On Thursday we said that the first was to imitate Paul. In verse 17, Paul invites us to follow his example—and, interestingly, the example of those who follow his example. Paul holds himself up as an example of one who is not yet perfect, but struggling through this life to keep worldliness from getting a grip on his soul. And so, Paul calls us to – by the grace of God – struggle against worldliness.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>II. Worldliness kills.</b></div><div> Look at verses 18-19:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“For many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.”</i></div><div> </div><div> He’s not talking about pagans, he is in tears because these are people who claim to love God, and yet they are so worldly that he can characterize them as enemies of the cross! Paul is saying they’re all wrapped up in this life. They want their praise here. They want their affirmation here. This is where they belong. This is where their reward is, and so their “end is destruction, their god is their belly, their glory is their shame, and their minds are set on earthly things.” They claim to be believers, but what they want most in life is here.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Now maybe you're thinking, this message here is all for somebody else, somebody really “worldly.” But, think for a moment about what your greatest cares are in this life, your greatest aspirations for this life are. And how might those differ from an unbeliever’s? And if you don’t have a real good answer for that right now, my guess is you may be struggling with worldliness. Because we ought to be different from people whose citizenship is here.</div><div><br /></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>III. Homesickness helps.</b></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> Paul says to us all: ‘Christian, there ought to be in you a deep yearning and longing for home, and this ain’t home. You ought to be homesick for heaven. You ought to want to be in your Father’s arms. You’re to the point where you don’t care what this world says about you, you just want to hear your Father say, ‘Child, welcome home. Enter into the kingdom that I’ve been preparing for you from the foundation of the world.’</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>If you’re not heavenly-minded, if you’re not homesick for your home, if you’re not longing for something that this world can’t give you, you’re utterly vulnerable to worldliness. Because until that point you are vulnerable to believing that this world can actually give you something that can last.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><b>IV. Therefore, stand fast.</b></div><div> Paul is saying<b> the Christian’s resisting of worldliness does not just happen</b>. It takes resolve. It takes a dogged refusal to abandon one’s citizenship, one’s calling, one’s standards, one’s identity, one’s belief. You don’t just resist worldliness by wishing to resist worldliness; it requires resolve.</div><div><br /></div><div> And here’s Paul saying to you, ‘Friend, all that you have to do for worldliness to happen is nothing. You don’t have to go out and court worldliness, it’s looking for you. It knows where you live. It knows your street address. It knows your email, knows your cell phone, knows your heart. And unless you are resolved not to buy into the lie that’s all around you, you’ll be sucked in.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>So how do you resist it?</b></span></div><div><b>You find a believer who’s acting like Paul, and you follow them</b>. You remember that worldliness kills. It will put you in a box and cover you up with dirt, from which you will never recover. <b>You cultivate that homesickness that this world is not my home</b>, and so you live like this world is not your home. <b>And then you stand fast</b>. You strap yourself to the mast by God’s grace, and you say, “Lord, shut my ears; shut my eyes; shut my heart to all the things that the world wants to tell me will give me satisfaction, that will only make me value those things more than You.”</div><div><br /></div><div> You know, it’s just like the garden, isn’t it? The serpent comes to the woman and says, ‘This piece of fruit…it’ll make you happy. It’ll do the trick. God won’t do the trick. This piece of fruit, it will do the trick.’ <i>And worldliness does the same thing</i>: ‘God won’t make you happy, but this? Oh, it’ll make you happy!’ And what happens? Does it make you happy? It brings you nothing but misery. And it causes your heart to grow dead to the only joy that has ever existed, and the only joy that will last.</div><div><br /></div><div> And so Paul’s saying, ‘Dear, dear, Christian friend, don’t buy that bill of goods. Stand firm. Act like me, because this world is not your home.’</div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/07/gleanings-in-philippians-two-ways-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-6668086597055245624Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:36:00 +00002011-06-30T14:40:54.975-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Two Ways to Live: Phil 3.17-4:1 (Part I)<div>Article Text – Philippians 3:17-4:1</div><div>Suggested Article Title: “Two Ways to Live” Part 1</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We close out this week in a section of this letter in which the Apostle Paul is pressing home to Christians how to live the Christian life. He’s saying, <b>having been saved by grace through faith, this is how you live</b>. Paul makes this clear by what he’s said in the passage previous to this.</div><span class="fullpost"><div><br /></div><div> If you’ll remember Tuesday, as looked at Philippians 3:12-16, we said that Paul almost summarized the Christian life in three mottoes, the first of which was “<b>We’re not there ye</b>t”: We haven’t arrived at perfection.</div><div><br /></div><div> The second motto was “<b>We’re pressing on</b>”: We’re not satisfied with being where we are, we want to be more like Christ.</div><div><br /></div><div> And then, the third motto was “<b>we’re reliant upon God’s grace</b>.”</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In this week’s passage Paul is warning the Philippians about a kind of professing believer and teacher that is in their midst influencing them in the wrong direction, and he says about them, “<i>Their minds are set on earthly things</i>.”</div><div><br /></div><div> This is crucial, because worldliness is one of the great problems of evangelical Christianity in our time. Worldliness is a word that sometimes can strike us as a little bit quaint. If you’re my age or older, you know a definition of worldliness that goes like this: Worldliness means “drinkin’, smokin’, dancin’, and playin’ cards!” That’s worldliness, but that is not what Paul is talking about here!</div><div><br /></div><div> Now let me say that some of those things do manifest worldliness, but worldliness is a matter of heart.</div><div><br /></div><div> The Puritans were always so concerned not to be caught up in worldliness, so they had sayings to help us fight against worldliness such as, “Love the Lord, but use the world.” Their point was that what the believer really treasured was the Lord. The believer appreciated all the wonderful things that the Lord gives us in this world, but prefers the Lord over those things…so that they love the Lord and used the world. But the worldly person does what? Loves the world, and uses the Lord to get it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b> Worldliness is soul-destroying and joy-robbing because it tricks our hearts into seeking satisfaction in what can never satisfy us, and thus it slowly strangles us of the experience of being fully alive to God.</b></div><div><br /></div><div> Now, in the religion all around us we are actually being encouraged to be worldly. Do you understand that in 85% of the things that are on the Christian best-seller list are giving you this message: God can get you what you want better than anybody else: God can get you your best life now. What is being promoted on television and in Christian books and television is “Use the Lord to get the world.”</div><div><br /></div><div> Now, that’s not Paul’s message. That’s not Jesus’ message. It’s not the Bible’s message. It’s not Christianity’s message. But that’s being pumped into our ears and our hearts by people that <i><b>claim to be </b></i>Christians all around us. And if you buy into it, it will destroy your soul.</div><div><br /></div><div> But there’s another message that’s being pumped in, young people especially are vulnerable to this. Many young Christians are under enormous pressure to conform their faith to what the world says is valuable, to abandon right beliefs for simply doing right things. Now, it’s important to do right things, but those deeds must flow from right beliefs.</div><div><br /></div><div> Paul tells you four things that you fight these ideas in this passage: <b>Act like me; worldliness kills; homesickness helps; stand fast</b>. What do I mean by that? I’ll explain the first one today and the rest next week on Tuesday (there won't be a post on Monday, July 4). </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Notice that in those four things you’ve got two exhortations. The first and the fourth things are exhortations: Act like me, and stand fast. In between, the second and the third thing are actually explanations or reasons for why we ought to do what we do: Worldliness kills; homesickness helps.</div><div><br /></div><div> He says that we fight against worldliness by carefully following godly examples, by recognizing worldliness when you see it and knowing that it kills, by remembering who you are and where you’re from. </div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>I. Act like me.</b></div><div> Do you remember the basketball player, Michael Jordan? Gatorade had a whole advertising campaign built around Michael Jordan. It was called “Be like Mike.” They’d show Michael Jordan, dunking over the back of his head and this and that and the other, and then they’d try and sell you some Gatorade! Well, let me tell you what. All the Gatorade in the world wouldn’t have helped me be like Mike! And that’s why I love what Paul says here.</div><div><br /></div><div> Paul’s not saying ‘Now you become endowed with the kind of gifting that I have’ because let me tell you what, we’re all going to fall short!</div><div><br /></div><div> But Paul himself has emphasized in verses 12-16, ‘I am not perfect. I am struggling in this Christian life, too. Look at how I refuse to allow worldliness to get a grip in my soul.’ Paul says, ‘Look, Christian: <i>You need to find examples of people who are not buying into the prevailing wind of worldliness around them and follow them</i>.’</div><div><br /></div><div> Paul is saying to you, ‘You open your eyes and you look around. You look at the people that are acting like me, and you act like them, because they’re showing you how a believer resists worldliness and thinks and wills and desires like a Christian.’ They’re not perfect and I’m not perfect, but by God’s grace, they’ve learned how to resist worldliness, so learn from them and you too resist worldliness, by His grace.</div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/06/gleanings-in-philippians-two-ways-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15625783.post-2160664774066612094Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:50:00 +00002011-06-28T14:57:54.093-05:00Gleanings in Philippians ~ Pressing On Toward the Goal: Phil 3.12-16<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Last week, the Apostle Paul reminded us that Christians should to desire to be like Jesus Christ and to, by the grace of God, be transformed in increasing holiness. Perfect holiness, however, only comes after the Last Day in Christ Jesus.</div><div><br /></div><span class="fullpost"><div> That is in the background of what he says in Philippians 3:12-16. Also, there are some people in the Philippian congregation who have fallen under the influence of a false teaching of perfectionism. “<i>Perfectionism</i>” is the view that a person can become sinless in this life.</div><div><br /></div><div> Now in order to teach that, you have to either scale down what you mean by sin, or you have to scale down the requirements of holiness, or both. In Philippi some were teaching that the way to be complete, mature, perfect, was to not only believe in Jesus, but also to keep the Law of Moses with its ritual ordinances.</div><div><br /></div><div> Contrary to that, Paul gives us here three key truths that guide us in our sanctification, our living of the Christian life, and help us in our growth in grace in the Christian life. </div><div><br /></div><div>I. We are not yet there yet.</div><div> Notice what Paul says in verses 12-13:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect….”</b></i></div><div>And:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it [perfect holiness] my own.”</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div> Paul is saying, ‘I have a zeal to become more like Jesus like you can’t believe! But I’m not there yet! I have not arrived at that perfection, and I will not arrive at that perfection until the final resurrection.’</div><div><br /></div><div> Why, then, does he talk about the <i><b>perfect </b></i>in verse 15? I think Paul may be doing a little play on words. He’s saying, ‘For those of you who are ‘perfect’, you need to recognize that none of us are perfect yet. And we will not be until the day that we stand before His throne in glory. Until then, we’re on the way. Life is a pilgrimage, it’s not perfection.’ The church is not a place where perfect people gather.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>Christians still struggle with sin</b>. Perhaps you have encountered Christians who you believe are hypocrites because they’ve sinned. It is very important for you to understand that Christians do not believe that we have somehow become perfect. We do not excuse our own sin, we’re still responsible for our sin. In fact, there are very often Christians who have done really, really bad things who have subsequently come to faith in Christ, and they still have to pay for the consequences of their sin.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>For believers: the fact that you are not perfect yet is your charter of hope in this life</b>. You know, if I thought where I am now was as far as I was ever going to get, I’d give up today. But the fact that I’m not perfected yet gives me hope and comfort.</div><div> </div><div><b>II. We press on.</b></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Christians are always desirous and active in growing in holiness, in becoming more mature in Christ, in pursuing godliness. Notice the language that Paul uses in verses 12-14 and 16: “I press on...I strain forward… I forget what is behind… I strain forward to what is ahead… I hold true to what we have attained.” Paul’s pursuit of holiness is active and passionate.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>Paul is not telling you that this is the way that you are saved</b>. The way that you’re saved is by embracing the gospel. So when you hear Christians urging one another to press on, to strive to grow in holiness, they’re not talking about how they’re made right with God. They’re talking about having been made right with God by grace, how they become more like the Lord Jesus Christ who saved them by grace.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We must always press on, cultivating a holy dissatisfaction about our present state of growth. Paul is able to do that, but it doesn’t compromise his assurance. Paul knows that he is saved by grace alone and yet, he is utterly dissatisfied with his present state of godliness, because he wants to be more like Jesus. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>III. We strive by grace.</b></div><div> Christians want to grow, not so that we will be accepted and embraced by Christ, but because we already have been accepted and embraced by Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div> <b>In verse 14 Paul tells you how He presses on: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God…in Christ Jesus.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div> Paul pursues holiness in and from his union with Christ. How does the Holy Spirit change our hearts from the inside out? By uniting us to Jesus Christ, so that all that is His becomes ours. How are we united to Jesus Christ? By faith. So the Holy Spirit causes us to trust in Christ, and as we trust in Christ our sin is imputed to Him, His righteousness is imputed to us, and the power of His resurrection begins to work renovating us.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>Unbelievers, if you want to change your life, it’s got to start with you realizing that you can’t change your life</b>. Christianity is not offering you yet another program or package about how you can change your life. Jesus has to change you before you can change.</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>But believers, our security is not based upon how well we do in this pursuit of holiness</b>. Our security is based on Jesus Christ having embraced us, on our union with Christ. But what that leads us to is not laziness, but energy and passion and zeal in the pursuit of godliness.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>And those three truths that Paul lays out in this passage are life-transforming, if we’ll understand and practice them by His grace.</div><div><br /></div></span>http://fpcj.blogspot.com/2011/06/gleanings-in-philippians-pressing-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ligon Duncan)0